MI Dems have "settled on a plan" to give Hillary Clinton 69 pleged delegates and Barack Obama 59, "as a way to get the state's delegates seated" at the Dem convo. Based on the results from the MI primary on 1/15, Clinton was to get 73 and Obama 55. MI Dem Chair Mark Brewer "said he thinks the state is closer to reaching a solution agreeable to the candidates and state and national party officials." Brewer: "This does move the process forward in terms of stating our own position to the DNC."
Obama spokesperson Bill Burton on the plan: "It is clear results in January won't be used to allocate delegates, and we agree with that decision. We have been talking with Michigan leaders about this proposal and will continue to do so" (Barks Hoffman, AP, 5/8).
How'd It Come To This?
The proposal "was hammered out weeks ago" by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), UAW Pres. Ron Gettelfinger and DNCer Debbie Dingell. Seating the MI delegation won't do much to help Clinton. Her 2% victory in IN "still would make it difficult to make up much ground," even with MI. Plus, it's "still unclear whether Clinton's team would accept such a proposal" because she had "earlier rejected the 69-59 plan."
Obama mgr David Plouffe: "It's clear if this is going to get settled from a negotiation standpoint, it's going to require us being generous and offering to give her some delegates. We're actively reviewing that proposal" (Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 5/8).
The MI Dems "endorsed" the plan late on 5/7. Levin, on the proposed compromise: "What last night does is probably make it more likely that Obama will emerge" with the nod. "As soon as somebody emerges, it's resolved. ... The earlier the candidate is determined, the more likely it is that this will be resolved quickly" (Trowbridge, Detroit News, 5/7).
Deep Impact
A deal over both MI and FL "could be cut in the next few days." The Obama camp "apparently realizes they have plenty of room to give." The hurdle isn't Clinton and Obama anymore, though; it's "folks in the DNC who believe those two recalcitrant states still need to be punished in some form, so states realize there are consequences to doing this" in '12. While it's reported a deal that splits the states' delegates could work for Obama and Clinton, many DNCers "hate the idea" of FL and MI "getting full delegations simply because now it appears their delegations won't make a difference in the process" ("First Read," MSNBC, 5/8).
Another likely outcome: "a decision to seat enough" FL and MI "delegates to confirm" Obama as the nominee "but not so many that they could swing the nomination" to Clinton (Kronholz, Wall Street Journal, 5/8).
Tell Me More
Brewer played "Hardball" last night.
Brewer, asked if a deal can be cut by 5/20: "I think it is important that an agreement be reached. I wouldn't want to post any artificial deadline on it, as long as it is done by the convention so we can be full participants" (MSNBC, 5/7).
CNN's Crowley, on how the Obama and Clinton camps should figure out the FL/MI issue: "It's going to take these two campaigns coming together to figure it out. They're already together trying to work it out. I can assure you that whatever they come up with will not be a formula that will give one or the other the nomination" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," 5/7).
Obama supporter/DNCer James Zogby, on how to resolve the FL/MI issue without disenfranchising them: "You don't have to disenfranchise them, but what you can't do is count the votes that were cast. ... You can't find a formula that can be used in both states to bring people into the process and we should do that and that's what I know Howard Dean's trying to do. Can you count the votes? Neither candidate campaigned and in Barack Obama's case, he was not on the ballot in Michigan. How is that an election?" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," CNN, 5/7).
So What About FL?
Palm Beach Post's ed board writes, unless Obama "is discovered burning American flags" with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Clinton "can't get enough pledged delegates in the last six primaries to overcome" Obama. "That holds true if delegates from" MI and FL "are included" (5/8).
Clinton FL fundraiser Chris Korge "said he expects the national party to seat the entire" FL delegation and "half of the slate from" MI. A final decision on delegate seating is expected on 5/31. But the Clinton camp "can't dangle those victories in front of undecided superdelegates until the states' appeals are heard at the end of the month, just three days before the last states vote." Korge: "By move the decision back to May 31, Florida becomes irrelevant."
Plouffe: "Obviously, there's a lot of discussion about remedies in Florida and we've expressed openness to those." More: "I think the Clinton campaign has been less willing to consider anything other than full seating of the delegates, and so we're hopeful that dialogue will continue" (Reinhard/Clark, Miami Herald, 5/8).
St. Petersberg Times' Smith writes, Obama can "nudge" Clinton "out of the race" by joining "her call to count" the 1.75M votes of FL Dems. FL Dem consultant Bob Buckhorn: "That could potentially open the floodgates for superdelegates to come on board if he was that gracious and that comfortable in his inevitability to win the nomination." More: "It would go a long way to ease the anger that remains over Florida's votes not counting." Obama FL fundraiser Frank Sanchez: "We have been now for over a month trying to engage in coming up with what would be a fair solution, but there just hasn't been the willingness on the part of the Clinton camp to get this behind us." Ironically, "the weaker the count-every-Florida-vote candidate looks, the easier it will be to get" FL's votes counted (5/7).
Jimmy Says No
Jimmy Carter appeared on the "Tonight Show" last night, and he was asked if the FL and MI delegates should be seated.
Carter: "I think their delegates ought to be seated for sure in 2012."
Jay Leno: "Oh, 2012. ... But not this time around?"
Carter: "No. They disqualified themselves" (NBC, 5/7).
For more, see today's Play of the Day.
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